Self-dimpling tie construction

ABSTRACT

A four-in-hand necktie shell is provided with an interliner having two cutout portions spaced on either side of the centerline of the necktie in the region of the knot, the upper ends of the cutout portions tapering to a point at their upper, outer ends, and the interliner portion between the cutouts being sewn to the regular longitudinal seam of the shell. When a knot is tied in the necktie, the spaced and tapered cutouts cause a dimple to be formed in the drape portion of the necktie adjacent the knot.

United States Patent 1191 Miller I 1451 July 24,1973

[ SELF-DIMPLING TIE CONSTRUCTION [75] Inventor: Samuel J; Miller, Baltimore, Md.

[73] Assignee: Samuel J. Miller & Co., Baltimore,

221 Filed: NW8, 1971 21 Appl. No.: 196,455

[52] U.S. Cl. 2/146 [51] Int. Cl A4ld 25/06 [58] Field of Search....2/l44l53; D2/351 354-356 [56] 1 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,825,903 3/1958 Miller 2/146 1,378,067 51192 1 Walt 2/148 2,269,577 1/1942 Bl'ohard, Jr.

2,285,528 6/1942 Naftali 2/146 McCarthy 2/148 Leoni 2/146 Primary ExaminerJordan Franklin Assistant Examiner-William L. Falk Attorney-Raphael Semmes [57] ABSTRACT A four-in-hand necktie shell is provided with an interliner having two cutout portions spaced on either side of the centerline of the necktie in the region of the knot, the upper ends of the cutout portions tapering to a point at their upper, outer ends, and the interliner portion between the cutouts being sewn to the regular longitudinal seam of the shell, When a knot is tied in the necktie, the spaced-and tapered cutouts cause a dimple to be formed in the drape portion of the necktie adjacent the knot.

5 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PAnuIEw m 3.747.123

sum 1 use INVENTOR SAMUEL J MILLER BY v 7' ATTORNEY PAIENIEB M41915 same or 2 INVENTOR 5 6M051 J M1145 Q ran'romwsv SIELF-DIIMFLING TIE CONSTRUCTION BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates generally to necktie construction of the four-in-hand and pre-tied type, and more particularly to a self-dimpling necktie construction that can be mass produced by present production methods.

2. Description of the Prior Art It is fashionable in wearing a four-in-hand type of necktie to have a dimple formed in the drape portion of the necktie where it emerges from the bottom of the knot. The presence of such a dimple is especially desirable with so called wide neckties, say those wherein the drape may taper to 4 or inches in width near the tip.

A modern four-in-hand necktie normally comprises a shell of material containing a relatively stiff interlining, the latter serving to give body to the necktie. With such a construction it is difficult to obtain the desired dimple at the knot, and thus there have been attempts made to provide a construction that will facilitate formation of the dimple. Usually such efforts involve some modification of the interliner, but thus far none of the attempts at modification has been entirely successful. Of the constructions thus far proposed, two common failings are that formation of the desired dimple is not assured, and the modifications to the necktie are such that they interfere with the conventional manufacturing process.

There is thus need for a four-in-hand necktie construction wherein formation of the desired dimple is assured, and which can be mass produced using present manufacturing methods. The present invention is intended to satisfy that need.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In the present invention the necktie construction includes an outer fabric shell and an interliner insert. The shell is formed inside out, with the interliner being sewn to the overlapped lateral edges of the shell material in the usual manner, after which the shell is turned right side out, this being a normal method of producing neckties.

The interliner of the invention has two elongated cutouts therein in the region of the knot, spaced on either side of the centerline of the finished necktie so that the centerline portion of the liner is continuous and uninterrupted, whereby the normal sewing process for necktie production is not interferred with. The lower portions of the cutouts are rectangular and the upper portions thereof taper to a point at their upper, outer corners.

When the present necktie is tied, the two spaced and tapered cutouts do not support their confronting shell portions during formation of the knot, although the centerline portion and the lateral edges of the shell are backed by the remaining portions of the interliner. Thus, when the drape portion of the necktie is pulled taut at the conclusion of the tying process, a dimple is automatically formed at the lower end of the knot. The unique shape and arrangement of the cutouts ensures a neat and attractive dimple, and that the drape of the tie will be smooth and wrinkle free.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide a necktie construction wherein a dimple will be formed automatically at the upper end of the drape when a four-in-hand knot is tied in the neckwear.

Another object is to provide a self-dimpling necktie construction wherein the sewn tie seam is not interrupted.

Yet another object is to provide a self-dimpling necktie construction that can be mass produced using conventional methods.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of the invention will become readily apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiment, when taken together with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 11 is a front, fragmentary view showing the neck tie of the invention as it appears when tied about the neck of a wearer, illustrating a well formed dimple in the drape portion of the necktie just below the knot;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, horizontal sectional view taken on the line 22 of FIG. 1, showing in detail the interliner and the positions of the cutout portions thereof relative to the dimple;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the interliner of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a view showing how the necktie is assembled, with the shell turned inside out, and with the interliner sewed to the edges of the shell; and

FIG. 6 is a view of the finished necktie of FIG. 5, after such has been turned right side out.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to FIGS. 1-3 of the drawings, the necktie of the present invention is indicated at 2 in its tied condition, the knot being shown at 4, and the drape 6 of the tie extending below the knot. The upper end of the drape 6 has a dimple 8 formed therein, the material on both sides of the dimple being smooth.

The necktie 2 includes a shell or outer portion 10, usually made of a particularly decorative or distinctive fabric, and within which is sewn an interliner 12 formed of one or more layers of relatively heavy fabric that will hold its shape and add body to the shell. In the present invention the interliner 12 is made of two layers 14 of cloth material, but it is to be understood that the invention is not to be thus limited.

Referring now to FIGS. 4-6, the interliner 12 is of sufficient length to extend through all but the end or tip portions of the shell 10, and includes an elongated rectangular portion 16 with parallel edges that is received in the tail portion of the necktie shell 10, and a tapered portion 1% that is received within the drape or front portion 10 of the shell. The tapered portion 18 of the interliner 12 has two cutouts 20 therein, spaced from the centerline of the interliner so that a connecting strip of material 22 is left therebetween, the cutouts 20 being spaced axially of the interliner so that they will be in the region of the knot 4 when the necktie 2 is on the neck of a wearer.

The cutouts 20 each include a generally rectangular lower portion 24 formed by inner and outer side edges 26 and 28 and a bottom edge 30, and a generally triangular upper portion 32 that terminates in a point 34 at the outer, upper corner of the cutout. The upper cutout portion 32 is formed by an extension of the outer side edge 2% and an inclined, outwardly tapering edge 36 that extends from the end of the inner side edge 26. Typically, the cutouts 20 will be about three-fourths inch wide along the bottom edge 30, the length of the outer side edge 28 will be about 3 inches, and that of the inner side edge 26 will be about 1 9% inches. The width of the connecting strip 22 will typically be about seven-eighths inch, all of these measurements relating to a wide tie shell 10 having a width of 4 to 5 inches at the tip of the drape portion 6.

The blank for tie shell is first cut from a sheet of fabric, and the tip portions thereof are then sewn to the desired configuration. If desired, tip liners 38 of silk or a like material are sewn to the inside of the shell tips at the time when the tips are formed. The elongated tie blank is then folded along its length so that what will be the exterior surface of the necktie is on the interior of the fold, and the opposite lateral edges of the blank are aligned. This arrangement is shown in FIG. 5.

Final assembly of the necktie is then undertaken. The interliner 12 is laid on top of the folded shell blank, to overlie the aligned edges of the blank. The thusly assembled elements are then passed through a sewing machine, whereby a line of stitches 40 is placed generally down the centerline of the interliner 12, thereby sewing together along a common seam the interliner and the aligned edge portions of the shell 10.

The shell 10 is then turned right side out, so that the interliner 12 is disposed within the shell, and the shell is arranged so that the stitched seam 40 is disposed on the centerline of the drape 6, after which the shell 10 is pressed to give it the proper configuration and appearance, as shown in FIG. 6.

It should be noted at this point that because the cutouts are spaced apart to leave the strip 22, the interliner can be sewn to the shell 10 just as in the case of a regular interliner. If the spacer strip 22 were not provided, so that a single large cutout resulted, then in the region of that cutout the two thicknesses of the shell material would be sewn only to each other. This can damage the shell during stitching, causing puckering or stretching of the shell material over the unlined area.

Further, because the connecting strip 22 is present the centerline portion of the interliner 10 carrying the line of stitches 40 is continuous and uninterrupted. This ensures an even application of forces when the drape 6 is pulled through the knot 4 during tying, and avoids stretched and wrinkled shell fabric that will result when the interliner centerline portion is not continuous.

The present four-in-hand necktie 2 is tied in the usual manner. When the drape or large end 6 of the necktie is pulled through the knot 4 for the last time and final tightening begins, the two spaced cutouts 20 come into play to automatically form the dimple 6.

The continuous centerline strip 22 of the interliner 12 forms the foundation of the dimple 6, as it lends support to the shell portions on either side thereof that deform to make the dimple. Such deformation results because the cutouts 20 eliminate the interliner material that would normally supress wrinkling movement of the shell, whereby the shell drape portion 6 will form wrinkles or folds 42 on both sides of the center strip 22 when the drape 6 is pulled taut through the knot 4. The tapered upper portions 32 of the cutouts 20 support the forming of the dimple 8 in its proper place, the widening centerstrip portion 44 formed therebetween serving to gradually add backing to the shell 10, supressing it and causing even folds to be formed.

The present necktie construction thus offers a selfforming dimple when tied, one that is smooth and regular, because of the spaced and tapered cutouts 20, and the centerstrip 22 therebetween. Further, the centerstrip 22 makes it possible to mass produce the necktie 2, utilizing present methods of production. Thus, the invention fulfills the objects hereinabove set forth.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the invention are possible.

I claim:

l. A self-dimpling necktie construction adapted, when tied with a four-in-hand knot, to provide a dimple in a dimple forming region just below the knot, said construction comprising: an elongated shell; an elongated interliner received within and extending lengthwise along a substantial portion of the length of said shell including said dimple forming region, said interliner having a pair of spaced cutout openings with straight edges positioned on opposite sides of its longitudinal centerline in said dimple forming region, said cutout openings being in relatively colinear alignment transversely of said longitudinal centerline.

2. A self-dimpling necktie construction as recited in claim 1, wherein said cutout openings are spaced on either side of a continous centerline strip running the length of said interliner, said centerline strip being stitched to said shell therealong.

3. A self-dimpling necktie construction as recited in claim 2, wherein said cutout openings are elongated axially of said interliner along said longitudinal centerline, and have a width measuring a fraction of their length.

4. A self-dimpling necktie construction as recited in claim 3, wherein said cutout openings include a generally rectangular, axially elongated lower portion, and a triangular upper portion arranged so that said openings terminate in a point at their upper, outer corners, said upper portion being formed by an extension of the outer side edge of said opening and an inclined, outwardly tapering edge extending from the end of the inner side edge of the lower portion to the upper end of said extension of the outer side edge.

5. A self-dimpling necktie construction as recited in claim 4, wherein said cutout openings measure about 3 inches in length by about threefourths inch wide at the base, and wherein said cutout openings are spaced apart about seven-eighths of an inch. 

1. A self-dimpling necktie construction adapted, when tied with a four-in-hand knot, to provide a dimple in a dimple forming region just below the knot, said construction comprising: an elongated shell; an elongated interliner received within and extending lengthwise along a substantial portiOn of the length of said shell including said dimple forming region, said interliner having a pair of spaced cutout openings with straight edges positioned on opposite sides of its longitudinal centerline in said dimple forming region, said cutout openings being in relatively colinear alignment transversely of said longitudinal centerline.
 2. A self-dimpling necktie construction as recited in claim 1, wherein said cutout openings are spaced on either side of a continous centerline strip running the length of said interliner, said centerline strip being stitched to said shell therealong.
 3. A self-dimpling necktie construction as recited in claim 2, wherein said cutout openings are elongated axially of said interliner along said longitudinal centerline, and have a width measuring a fraction of their length.
 4. A self-dimpling necktie construction as recited in claim 3, wherein said cutout openings include a generally rectangular, axially elongated lower portion, and a triangular upper portion arranged so that said openings terminate in a point at their upper, outer corners, said upper portion being formed by an extension of the outer side edge of said opening and an inclined, outwardly tapering edge extending from the end of the inner side edge of the lower portion to the upper end of said extension of the outer side edge.
 5. A self-dimpling necktie construction as recited in claim 4, wherein said cutout openings measure about 3 inches in length by about three-fourths inch wide at the base, and wherein said cutout openings are spaced apart about seven-eighths of an inch. 